4 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat entering Week 10 at Bears

Donte Jackson - Carolina Panthers CB

Another overlooked blow for the Carolina Panthers heading into Week 10 is the absence of C.J. Henderson. The cornerback has already been ruled out with a concussion suffered against the Indianapolis Colts, which means Ejiro Evero's defense is without its two best coverage options as Jaycee Horn remains on the shelf.

The Chicago Bears don't have Justin Fields under center, which helps Carolina's cause. But wide receiver D.J. Moore will be looking to make his old employers pay after they deemed him surplus to requirements in pursuit of the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

This puts Donte Jackson in the spotlight once again. It would be a surprise if the Panthers didn't have the LSU product lined up against Moore often, which is another test for a player becoming renowned for giving up big plays.

Jackson might use this clash with an old teammate as additional motivation. Carolina is also relying on the veteran presence heavily with almost no legitimate experience in the cornerback room aside from Troy Hill.

Many are expecting Moore to have a field day in this one. However, it's also worth remembering that the Panthers are only conceding 178.3 passing yards per game - ranked No. 5 league-wide - so it's not guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination.

The 2018 second-round pick needs to take on this challenge and provide the consistency needed to restrict Moore as best he can. Otherwise, it'll be another blow for his fortunes beyond the current campaign.